Reusse 1500 column: Ex-Gophs fuming over Lucia extension

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Laughingstock? Seriously? Yes, the program has declined but we are far from a laughingstock. Also, college hockey is not a minor league for the NHL. No head coach has a duty to develop players for the pros. The duty of the coach is to try to win a championship. Nothing more, nothing less.

I am as upset over the direction of the program as any of these former players, I guarantee you. ALL that matters is that this team be in the NCAA tournament next year. If that doesn't happen there will be no choice but to get a new coach.
 

GopherMike said:
Laughingstock? Seriously? Yes, the program has declined but we are far from a laughingstock. Also, college hockey is not a minor league for the NHL. No head coach has a duty to develop players for the pros. The duty of the coach is to try to win a championship. Nothing more, nothing less.

I am as upset over the direction of the program as any of these former players, I guarantee you. ALL that matters is that this team be in the NCAA tournament next year. If that doesn't happen there will be no choice but to get a new coach.
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Agree that laughingstock of the wcha is going a little too far. We've been bad for our program standards but it's not like we're finishing close to last every year. Also agree that it's not his duty to develop players. But can see the other side of this. If he wants to a) get top players and b) keep them for 3 or 4 years, he has to be able to show at least some development of the high prospects.

I'm sure most Gopher hockey fans remember the Okposo fiasco a few years ago with him leaving early and Islanders GM Garth Snow ripping Lucia and the program. I find it funny that he rips Lucia, a guy who at least has a few championships under his belt as a coach/gm, when the Islanders have been horrible since Snow took over as their GM. They've been one of the worst teams in the East every year since 2007 including this year. Not saying Lucia doesn't deserve criticism or anything. Just kinda reminds me of when a student makes fun of another student for getting a D on a test when the first kid got a D themselves.
 

GopherMike said:
Laughingstock? Seriously? Yes, the program has declined but we are far from a laughingstock. Also, college hockey is not a minor league for the NHL. No head coach has a duty to develop players for the pros. The duty of the coach is to try to win a championship. Nothing more, nothing less.

I am as upset over the direction of the program as any of these former players, I guarantee you. ALL that matters is that this team be in the NCAA tournament next year. If that doesn't happen there will be no choice but to get a new coach.
Click to expand...

I think we pretty much agree. But if players aren't developing, then they aren't improving. Lucia has had quite a few players that haven't played much better even after a couple of years. Why? He knows the drills; he knows how to plan; he has the strength program although we seem to be usually the smaller team. IMO, it's some combination of confidence and motivation.
 

I bet he gives him a 'cosmetic extension'. It will say extension on the surface but there will be plenty of outs to fire him. At Minnesota I think Hockey has been our flagship sport. To me and others I know going 4 years not finishing higher than 5th in conference is unacceptable, and he should be gone. But he has 1 year left on his (current) contract and I think Maturi will honor it...he only has a year left as well. New President should make some changes to both.
 


"Most of the players on the two national title teams were already there or previously committed."

There wasn't a single player on the ice for the second title that wasn't a Lucia recruit.
 

Maximus said:
"Most of the players on the two national title teams were already there or previously committed."

There wasn't a single player on the ice for the second title that wasn't a Lucia recruit.
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This whole piece was garbage. An anonymous letter posted on Pat's blog, not his actual column.
 

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